"Have you decided anything?" Roman skirted his desk and sat.
"The time for discussion is over." Angus paced across the room. "With the explosion last night, the Malcontents have declared war. My Highlanders are ready to strike. I say we do it tonight."
"I disagree," Jean-Luc cut in. "Petrovsky is, no doubt, prepared for such a retaliation. We would be attacking his house in Brooklyn, leaving us in the open while they can take cover. Why should we give those bastards the advantage?"
"My men are no' afraid," Angus growled.
"Neither am I." Jean-Luc's blue eyes flashed. "This is not about fear. It's about being practical. If you and your Highlanders weren't always so hotheaded, you wouldn't have lost so many battles in the past."
"I am not hotheaded!" Angus thundered.
Roman held up his hands. "Can we take this down a notch? The explosion last night didn't hurt anyone. And though I agree that Petrovsky must be dealt with, I am reluctant to engage in an all-out war in front of mortal witnesses."
"Exactement." Jean-Luc shifted in his chair. "I say we watch Petrovsky and his men, and when we find one or two of them alone, then we kill them."
Angus snorted. " 'Tis no' an honorable way for a warrior to behave."
Jean-Luc stood slowly. "If you're insinuating that I have no honor, I'll have to challenge you to a duel."
Roman groaned. Five hundred years of listening to these two argue was enough to strain the best of friendships. "Can we kill Petrovsky first, before you two kill each other?"
Angus and Jean-Luc laughed.
"Since we are in disagreement, as usual," Jean-Luc said as he sat back down, "you will cast the deciding vote."
Roman nodded. "I'm with Jean-Luc on this one. A full attack on a house in Brooklyn is going to draw too much attention. And it puts too many of the Highlanders at risk."
"We doona mind," Angus grumbled as he returned to his chair.
"I mind," Roman said. "I've known you all for a long time."
"We are also limited in number," Jean-Luc added. "I haven't transformed a vampire since the
French Revolution. And you?"
"Not since Culloden," Angus answered. "But vampires like Petrovsky are still transforming men with evil hearts."
"And thus, making more evil vampires." Jean-Luc sighed. "For once, mon ami, we are en accord.
Their numbers are growing while ours are not."
Angus nodded. "We need to make more vampires."
"Absolutely not!" Roman was alarmed by the turn of the conversation. "I will not condemn more souls to hell."
"I'll do it." Angus brushed back a strand of auburn hair. "I'm sure there are honorable soldiers dying somewhere in this world who would welcome the chance to continue fighting evil."
Roman leaned forward. "It's not the same as it was three hundred years ago. Modern armies keep up with their soldiers. Even the dead ones. They would notice if some went missing."
"Missing in action." Jean-Luc shrugged. "It happens. I'm with Angus on this one."
Roman rubbed his brow, dismayed at the thought of growing another vampire army. "Can we table this discussion for the time being? Let's take care of Petrovsky first."
Jean-Luc nodded. "Agreed."
"All right." Angus frowned. "Now, we need to talk about the problem with the CIA and their Stake-Out team. There's only five of them, so we shouldna have trouble handling them."
Roman winced. "I don't want them killed."
Angus snorted. "I doona mean that. We all know ye're involved with the leader's daughter."
Jean-Luc smiled. "Especially after last night."
Roman was surprised to feel his face heat up. Shanna's reaction seemed to be wearing off on him.
Angus cleared his throat. "I think the best way to deal with the Stake-Out team is to erase their memories of us.Timing would be important. We must do all five on the same night that we break into Langley to erase all their files."
"A clean sweep." Jean-Luc smiled. "I like it."
"I'm not sure it would work." Roman received surprised glances from his friends. "Shanna can resist mind control."
Angus's green eyes widened. "Ye canna be serious."
"I am. And what's more, I suspect she inherited her psychic abilities from her father. I also suspect the Stake-Out team is small because everyone on it possesses similar abilities."
"Merde," Jean-Luc whispered.
"Since they're working on an anti-vampire program," Roman added, "it would be obvious who would want to kill them."
"And it would give the American government more incentive to hunt us," Jean-Luc concluded.
"They're a bigger threat than I thought." Angus drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. "I have to think about this."
"Fine. Let's take a break for now." Roman stood and headed for the door. "I'll be in my lab if you need me." He hurried down the corridor, anxious to get some work done on his formula for staying awake during the day. He spotted a Highlander standing outside Laszlo's lab. Good. Laszlo was still getting the protection he needed.
Roman greeted the Scotsman as he entered the lab. Laszlo was sitting on a stool, gazing into a microscope. "Hi, Laszlo."
The small chemist started and nearly fell off the stool.
Roman rushed over and steadied him. "Are you all right?"
"Yes." Laszlo adjusted his lab coat. All the buttons were missing. "I've been a bit nervous lately."
"I hear you're working on a cheap drink for the poor."
"Yes, sir." Laszlo bobbed his head, enthusiastically. "I'll have three formulas ready for the survey tomorrow night. I'm experimenting with different proportions of red blood cells to water. And I may try adding some flavors like lemon or vanilla."
"Vanilla blood? I'd like to taste that myself."
"Thank you, sir."
Roman perched on a neighboring stool. "I'd like to run an idea by you. See what you think."
"Of course. I'd be honored to help, if I can."
"It's theoretical at this point, but I was thinking about sperm. Live sperm."
Laszlo's eyes widened. "Our sperm is dead, sir."
"I know. But what if we took a sample of live human sperm, erased the genetic code, and planted someone else's DNA in it."
Laszlo's mouth fell open. He blinked several times. "Who would want their DNA inserted into live sperm?"
"I would."
"Oh. Then you … you want to father children?"
Only with Shanna. "I want to know if it's possible."
The chemist nodded slowly. "I believe it would be."
"Good." Roman strode toward the door, then paused. "I'd appreciate it if you kept this conversation between us."
"Of course, sir." Laszlo plucked at the strings that had once held a button in place. "I won't say a word."
Roman hurried to his own lab to work on his daytime formula. He turned on his CD player.
Gregorian chants filled the room, helping him to concentrate. He was so close.
Before he knew it, the chants stopped and Roman glanced at the time. Five-thirty. Time always flew by when he was involved in a new project. He called Connor and teleported to the kitchen. "How's everything?"
"Fine," Connor answered. "No sign of Petrovsky's men."
"And Shanna?"
"She's in her room. I left some diet cola and brownies by her door. They disappeared, so she must be all right."
"I see. Thank you." Roman headed for the staircase and stood in the center of the spiral. With a glance at the top landing, he teleported there in a second. He went in his office and stopped short when he saw the blood-red velvet chaise. What a fool he'd been to bite her. And a bigger fool to blurt out that he loved her.
He trudged toward the wet bar for his bedtime snack. Should he go to her room to check on her?
Would she even speak to him? He unscrewed a bottle and popped it into the microwave. Maybe he should leave her alone. Her reaction to his confession of love had not been good. He'd give her time. And he wouldn't give up.
"Damn it to hell!" Ivan paced back and forth in his small office. He'd watched the news on DVN, and even though the explosion at Romatech was the top story, it hadn't accomplished much more than blowing up one lousy storeroom. Not a single Highlander had been blown to tiny bits or burned to a crisp. And as far as Ivan could tell, the city was not experiencing a sudden increase in hungry vampires on the prowl. After blowing up Draganesti's supply of fake blood, he had hoped to see a difference.
"Maybe the Vamps keep a supply of synthetic blood in their homes," Alek suggested. "They just haven't run out yet."
Galina curled up in one of the wingback chairs. "I agree. It's too soon to see a shortage. Besides, Draganesti probably has supplies we don't know about."
Ivan stopped pacing. "What do you mean?"
"He's supplying synthetic blood around the world. He could have plants we don't know about."
Alek nodded at her. "That would make sense."
Galina raised an eyebrow. "I'm not as stupid as you think."
"Enough." Ivan resumed his pacing. "I need a plan. I haven't hurt Draganesti enough."
"Why do you hate him so much?" Galina asked.